How can you tell whether a reforested rainforest is becoming a thriving habitat again?
Answer: You can hear it.
In our new research project PamLaGam2025+ in the La Gamba Biological Corridor (COBIGA) in Costa Rica, we’re analysing nature’s acoustic reawakening—and getting to the bottom of a fascinating question:
Which bird species are returning—and what does that say about the quality of the new forests?
Since January 2025, 26 automatic recording devices have been capturing bird calls around the clock in ecologically enhanced rainforest areas. The data is analysed using artificial intelligence—without disturbing the animals at all.
Project goal:
→ Identify how well reforested areas are developing as habitats
→ Understand which species return—and when
→ And find out how such areas help connect isolated rainforest islands
Why is this so important?
The Golfo Dulce region is one of Central America’s hotspots for bird diversity—with many unique species. But the forest is heavily fragmented, embedded in a human-dominated landscape. The COBIGA project aims to counter this—through targeted reforestation and smart research.
PamLaGam2025+ is providing solid data for the first time on how these measures work—and how we can keep improving them. Because: Where birds return, life returns. 
Funded by the Regenwald der Österreicher association
Scientific lead: Dr. Reinhard Lentner (University of Innsbruck) & Dr. Anton Weissenhofer (La Gamba Tropical Research Station / University of Vienna)
Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing our first acoustic insights soon!
A journey into the hidden world of bird calls in La Gamba
